Today's Veterinary Business

AUG 2018

Today’s Veterinary Business provides information and resources designed to help veterinarians and office management improve the financial performance of their practices, allowing them to increase the level of patient care and client service.

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56 Today's Veterinary Business Leadership
• Finish the session thinking
something along these lines:
"Well, I obviously don't have
the full hang of this, but I'll
try again tomorrow."
Despite the regular experi-
ence of feeling like nothing much
was happening during any of my
meditation sessions, I eventually
began to notice aspects of my life
that were changing for the better
as a result of meditation. Gradually,
I began to take everything a little
less seriously, feel more relaxed
even in stressful circumstances and
see more clearly how I react to situ-
ations that I perceived as negative.
These changes felt very
subtle, especially at first, but over
time it has felt like I've been start-
ing to strengthen some helpful
natural capacity that I didn't even
know existed before. My family
was the first to really notice the
changes and to let me know
that they definitely preferred the
meditating version of me over the
original model.
Starting a Meditation Practice
Meditation can have many differ-
ent approaches. Experimenting
with alternative styles will probably
make sense to anyone trying to
develop their own meditation prac-
tice. For a simple, concise guide to
basic breathing meditation, check
out A Life of Productivity article at
http://bit.ly/2Kz9yy7.
A number of meditation apps,
such as Headspace and Calm, are
available to help demystify the med-
itation process and get you started.
A few words of advice for anyone
embarking on a meditation practice:
• Consistency matters. Daily
repetition, even if for only 10
minutes a day, can make a
big difference.
• Keep it simple, especially
at first. Find a comfortable
sitting position rather than
trying to assume an unfamil-
iar posture. Sitting in a chair
with feet on the floor is fine.
• Be easy on yourself. Let go of
expectations and just show
up each day and see what
unfolds or seemingly doesn't.
• Try guided meditation, such
as through the Headspace
app, to develop some famil-
iarity with the process, and
then go from there.
Getting the Goods
In 1967, Howard Cosell and Mu-
hammed Ali shared a memorable
moment in the history of sports
broadcasting. As Ali boasted about
his confidence that he would beat
anyone, Cosell teasingly accused Ali
of being extremely truculent. With-
out missing a beat, Ali responded,
"Whatever truculent means, if it's
good, I'm that."
Which brings us to our last
point about meditation practice:
We can get the goods from medi-
tation without ever having to fully
understand it. While seeing scien-
tific and anecdotal evidence of the
benefits of meditating might be
helpful so that we know it is worth
the effort, there is no need to
understand the mechanics of how
those benefits are actually created
in order to experience those bene-
fits for ourselves.
The bottom line is this: Used
as little as 10 minutes a day, med-
itation starts to help us move in
the direction of our "flow" state.
For leaders, this means going
through the day with a greater
sense of calm and focus that
helps both them and their teams
perform at higher levels and enjoy
more positive experiences togeth-
er. For all of us, it means more of
the good stuff that life has to offer
for the benefit of ourselves, our
colleagues and families.
Go With the Flow co-columnist Dr. Jeff Thoren is president of VetPartners
and founder of Gifted Leaders, a Phoenix company offering leadership and
coaching services. Co-columnist Trey Cutler is a San Luis Obispo, California,
attorney specializing in veterinary business matters.
Leadership
GO WITH THE FLOW
hear the client's perspective and
ultimately work toward a fair and
agreeable solution.
Listen but make no attempt
to justify or problem-solve.
This is the time to let the client vent
and for you to gather facts and truly
understand the client's perspective.
Use active listening techniques to
ensure the client feels heard and un-
derstood. Often, this step is enough
to satisfy an upset pet owner.
Be emotionally level: "I can
understand why you are frus-
trated (or disappointed or nervous)."
Be respectful, but do not patronize.
Apologize for what needs
an apology. Take respon-
sibility when appropriate and be
careful to not throw teammates
under the bus. If an apology is un-
necessary, you can always say, "I am
sorry you are upset" or "I am sorry
we made you feel this way."
(Regarding apologies, this is
where my recommendations and
a lawyer's advice will contradict.
If you are tackling a potential
malpractice case, look to counsel
for best practices. I believe that
honesty, transparency and humility
are the best approach. I believe that
avoidance or defensiveness to hide
or protect mistakes breeds client
distrust and encourages an employ-
ee environment where lying in the
face of controversy is acceptable.)
After completing steps 1
through 4, explain to the
client the hospital's perspective.
The goal should be a mutual un-
derstanding and a win-win out-
come. Humanizing the hospital's
rationale, as opposed to discussing
policy or even the law, is often the
most effective approach.
Ask the client to pro-
pose a resolution, such
as "What can I do to make this
right for you?" Small concessions
often provide a positive return
on investment. (Again, first seek
counsel when addressing a potential
malpractice case, as refunds or no-
charge services can be viewed as
admitting fault.)
In addition, take heed to pre-
vent rewarding bad behavior. Keep
the conversation focused on what
can be done, not what cannot be
done. Come to a mutual agreement,
ideally with a win-win outcome.
Let the client know what
is being done to prevent
similar situations — for example,
through team training or computer
corrections. Thank the client for the
feedback and candor.
Time to Decompress
Whew, it's over! Breathe, stretch,
vent if necessary and then shake it
off. Make notes in the chart to doc-
ument the conversation. Be factual,
and ensure that any promises made
are detailed and that an action plan
following up on those promises is
initiated. Remember that an upset
client's most outrageous accusa-
tions often contain pearls of truth
that can be used to improve client
relations and patient care.
Finally, for the sake of guarding
against burnout and compassion
fatigue, teach employees to not
take such conversations personally
and to instead reward themselves
for a job well done.
Even if the conflict did not
resolve perfectly, take consola-
tion in the bravery exhibited and
recognize that complaints are far
outnumbered by the many sat-
isfied clients who regularly show
appreciation and gratitude.
When preventive measures are
taken and teams are well-equipped
to navigate the perils of customer
service, client conflict can become
just a minor burden of doing busi-
ness and one shared by a united
team of veterinary professionals.
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3
4
Take Charge columnist Abby Suiter is practice manager at Daniel Island
Animal Hospital in Charleston, South Carolina.
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